Have a positive mercury retrograde: yes you can

Three things cannot be long hidden:
the sun, the moon and the truth.

~ Buddha

I have ranted before about Mercury Retrograde. I will repeat my original disclaimer here, which still holds true: I am not an astrologer. I don’t really understand much about astrology, and I’m deeply skeptical about “horoscopes,” but I have experience with Mercury Retrograde and that is what this post is about. If you are looking for technical, astrological aspects and interpretations, visit your favorite astrologer. (please see this post for further explanation on what Mercury Retrograde is and ways to avoid the potential hazards).

It’s not all bad. No, really it isn’t! These periods of the mercury mystical magic show, where it appears to spin backwards and actually seems to draw out calamity in the human experience, can definitely be challenging. However, those who are stumbling along the path to enlightenment, who are at least attempting to be mindful and increase their sensitivity and awareness of themselves and those around them, these hopeful and humble folks have a good shot at finding the gems buried in Mercury Retrograde. I’m a stumbler on this path and while I can’t explain all the aspects and the technical hooha, I can share my experience with you.

The potential benefits of Mercury Retrograde

enjoy the slow life

Seriously, the best way to minimize the minefield of Mercury Retrograde is to slow the heck down! Be aware that normally functional items that we take for granted (computers, cars, mass transit, schedules, etc.) might require additional attention. In fact, if you expect hiccups and pad your schedule to accommodate traffic or hangups due to unforeseen obstacles during these times, there is a lot less stress. Hey, slowing down in this busy world is never a bad idea.

timeout for introspection

I have found that Mercury Retrogrades are great times to minimize my outward bound activities (business meetings, appointments, etc.) and schedule more time to do the kind of work that requires some introspection or just alone, quiet time. Whether it is personal “work” or for business, it is a great time to take inventory and review aspects that may be calling for our attention.

visit with family & old friends

While some family members, friends and lovers are meant to stay in the past, there are some that we think of periodically, but keep putting off that call or visit for various reasons — in many cases we just don’t want to take the time out from our important busy lives. I’m not going to wax poetic about why we need to make sure we are current in all our relationships, because life can be abruptly short and freakishly odd, but I will say, whenever I’ve taken the time to write that card, make that call or knock on that door, it has brought gifts way beyond any hassle it may have taken to get there. If there is someone you’ve been missing or thinking about, reach out. Do it.

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go with the flow man

If there was ever a time to go with the flow, Mercury Retrograde would be it. Let’s revisit the well-worn river analogy, shall we? Life is just easier when you aren’t madly paddling upstream. Unless you are a spawning salmon, in which case, this would be your passionate mission. And if you think you can sit on the banks of this river of life and avoid getting wet, be prepared to miss all the fun too. Yup, sometimes it gets a bit scary, messy, cold and even at times confusing. The scenery is awesome. In merc retro terms? Like the river, you have less control than you think. Sometimes, there are reasons things come apart or we are redirected from the meeting we thought be the answer. You may not see what is around the bend, but try not to thrash around so much. Just relax and see how things unfold. C’mon in or I’ll just wave to you who are missing out as I glide by.

let the truth be told

Sometimes we do our best to sidestep unpleasant truths, whether it is a lie we tell ourselves about our own destructive behavior or the bandaid of denial about a relationship or situation. Perhaps if we are earnestly trying to be on a mindful journey, we can be willing to shine the light of truth on things we would rather keep cloaked in the dark. Yes, sometimes it is painful, but in my humble experience, the discomfort is short-lived and the benefits of release and clarity and often relief are love-lived. Mercury Retrograde often has the effect of uncovering something that we have meticulously tried to avoid. So, be aware of issues that seem to be bubbling to the surface and take steps to safely have a look at the truth of the matter. Perhaps it isn’t so bad after all, or perhaps with some help and some self-love, you can work through it. Lighten the load as it were and perhaps experience a bit more freedom from those things that have the potential to weigh us down.